Adjustable cleaning nozzle for suction cleaners



July 1, 1952 c. G. TROXLER ,601,697

ADJUSTABLE CLEANING NOZZLE FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed March 25, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N V EN TOR. Charles 6- Troxlez:

July I, 1952 0. ca. TROXLER 2,601,697

ADJUSTABLE CLEANING NOZZLE FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed March 25, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Charles G. Troxler July 1, 1952 c. G. TROXLER 2,601,697

ADJUSTABLE CLEANING NOZZLE FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed March 25, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 L53 INVENTOR. Charles G. Troxler Patented July 1, 1952 ADJUSTABLE CLEANING NOZZLE FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Charles G. Troxler, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application March 25, 1944, Serial No. 528,03l

The present invention relates to suction cleaners' and moreparticularly to a cleaning tool for removing the dirt from the surface to be cleaned.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. Another object is to provide a surface cleaning tool having an adjustable nozzle lip. A further object is to provide a cleaning tool having a brush which is adjustable with respect to the surface to he cleaned by adjusting the nozzle lip withrespect to the cleaning tool-body; Another object is to provide a cleaning tool having supporting wheels which are adjustable into and outer engagement with the surface to be cleaned by adjustment oi the nozzle 11; with respect to the cleaning tool body. Another object is to provide a cleaning tool having an adjustable lip to alter the area of the nozzle mouth which is engageable with the surface to be cleaned. A further object is to provide means for sealing the wheel pockets from the 9 Claims. (01. 15-356) retracted position to provide a straight air cleaning tool having a reduced nozzle mouth area;

Figure 9 is a bottom view, partly in section, of one end of the cleaning tool and showing the operative connection between the wheels and brush; Figure is a section along line Ill-10 of Figure '7;

Figure 11 is a section along line ll-ll of Fi ure '7, and

Figure 12 is an end view of the cleaning tool along line l2-|2 of Figure 9.

nozzle leading to the source oi suction. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be p t fro t e ollo in specifica ion a d drawings whereini Figure 1 is a broken elevational view of one embodiment of the invention; t

Figure 2 is an enlarged section throu h the cleaning tool and showing the wheels and brush in position to engage the surface being cleaned to provide a' combined brush and air cleaning tool;

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 2 but showing the brush and wheelsout pi engagement with the surface being cleaned to provide a straight aircleaning tool;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary b m Vi w a tly in section, of the cleaning tool and showing the driving means between one of the floor wheels and the brush;

Figure 5 is a section taken along line 5-5 of Figural and o i the tens ba in e brush'in the cleaning tool;

Figure 6 is a section along line li -6 of Figure 4 and showing the meansfor adjusting the nozzle bottom plate with respect to the'body of the cleaning tool to hold the wheels and brush in adjusted positions;

Figure 7 ea" vertical sectional view of the cleaning tool forming part of another embodiment of the invention and showing the wheels and brush in position to engage the surface to be cleaned to provide acombined brush and air cleaning tool having an enlarged nozzle mouth;

Figure 8 is a verticalsectional View similar to Figure 7 but showing the wheels and'bru'sh in The embodiment 'of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 to 6 comprisesa suction cleaner 20 well known in the art and having a'casing tZIprovided' with an unshown filter andsuction creating means for drawing dirt-laden a'ir removed from the surface being cleaned through an inlet conduit 22 and to expel cleaned air through an outlet 23. Removably attached to the inlet conduit'22 is one end of a fiexiblhose 24 connected at its opposite end 'to a rigid elongated conduit 25 which also serves as a handle, and is removably rotatably connected 'to an outlet conduit 26 on the cleaning tool 21 by suitable air-tight connecting means28. t

The cleaning tool 21 comprises an elongated body havinga nozzle 3| provided with a downwardly disposednozzle mouthdefined by nozzle front wall 33, rear wall 34 and opposite end walls 35, only one of latter being'shown, and centrally disposed on the 'nozzle is the hollow conduit 26 connected to the source of suction in the cleaner casing 2|. A wheel pocket 31 isformed at each end of the nozzle by a wall 3|] and the nozzle end wall '35 and forms part of the nozzle body. Ar: ranged in each wheel pocket 3lis a surface ongaging wheel 38 rotatably'mounted on an threaded portion 39 of a bolt4ll threadedin the wall of the cleaning tool body. Disposed between the shoulder '42 on the bolt!!! and the web portion 43 offthe wheel 38 is an arcuate spring 44 having its circumferential" edge "45 hearing against thewh'l avenge the latter toward the center of the tio'zzleL' A brush 45 having bristles 41 mounted on a body 48 is provided at its opposite ends with a pin 49 held in place by a pin 50 passing diametrically through the brushbodv 48and thepin 49. Mounted on each pin 49 is'a bearing 5] which is removably held in a recess in the nozzleend wall as by a member 52 detachably attached to the nozzle end wall 35 by apai r brscie s 53. Part of the pin 43 projects into the wheel pockets 31 and is provided'with a tapered disc which engages the inclined'flanged siir face {li en the interior of the wheel 38. Engagement of the wheels 88 with the surface being cleaned causes the wheels to rotate and thus the discs 54 and the brush 46, and the springs 44 urge the wheels 38 into frictional engagement with the discs 54 and compensates for any wear on the engaging surfaces of the flanges 55 and the discs 54.

The front wall 33 of the nozzle 3| is provided with a rolled edge 56 on which is pivotally mounted the rolled edge 51 of a bottom plate 58 having an arcuate rear wall 60 which conforms to the arcuate exterior surface of the rear nozzle wall 34. The bottom plate has an elongated opening 5| defined by a rectangular nozzle lip 62 and is further provided with fiat surface engaging sections 59.

In order to raise the wheels 38 and brush 46 out of engagement with the surface being cleaned, the rear wall 60 of the bottom plate 58 is provided with an elongated slot 63 having at its opposite ends enlarged openings 64 and 65 for the reception therein of a knurled nut 61 threaded on a pin 66 rigidly mounted on the rear nozzle wall 34 below the hollow conduit 26. The bottom plate 58 is held in its adjusted positions when the nut 61 is in either of the enlarged openings 64 or 65 of the slot 63.

In operation assume the cleaning tool 27 is connected to the source of suction in the cleaner casing 2| and it is desired to use the brush 46 on the surface to be cleaned. The knurled nut 61 is loosened and the bottom plate 58 pivoted about the rolled edge 56 of the nozzle front wall 33 to the position shown in Figure 2 with the knurled nut 61 and pin 66 in the enlarged opening 65 of the elongated slot 63. In this position of the bottom plate 58 with respect to the nozzle body, the floor engaging wheels 38 project below the bottom plate 58 and the bristles 41 project through the opening 6| in the bottom plate 58, and the fiat surfaces 59 of the latter are spaced at the optimum distance with respect to the surface being cleaned to obtain best cleaning results. Upon movement of the cleaning tool '21 over the surface being cleaned, the wheels 38 are rotated due to frictional contact with the surface to be cleaned. Rotation of the wheels 38 rotate the discs 54 which in turn cause the brush 46 to rotatably engage the surface to be cleaned and removes the dirt which is discharged into'the cleaner casing 2| by the suction creating means.

When it is desired to clean a surface by means of air only, the knurled nut 61 is loosened and the bottom plate 58 pivoted downwardly with respect tothe cleaning tool body to the position shown in Figure 3-and the nut 81 is tightened in the enlarged opening 64 of the slot 63. Movement of the bottom plate 58 downwardly raises the wheels 38 and brush 46 out of engagement with the surface to be cleaned to render the brush and wheels non-rotatable, and the bristles 41 are substantially out of the opening EI in the bottom plate 58. In this position of the bottom plate 58 with respect to the cleaning tool body, theflat surfaces 59 rest upon the surface being cleaned and move therealong during the cleaning operation to provide a straight air cleaning device.

Another embodiment of the invention includes the suction cleaner 20 and the cleaning tool 10 disclosed in Figures 7 and 12. The cleaning tool I0 comprises a body provided with an elongated nozzle II having a front wall I2, opposed end walls I3 and a rear wall 14 and extending centrally from the nozzle II is a conduit I5 adapted for removable connection to the handle 25 and thus to the source of suction in the cleaner casing 2|. Spaced from the opposite end walls I3 of the nozzle and projecting from the top and rear walls of the latter to the dotted line "It in Figure 7 is a partition II which cooperates with each nozzle end wall 13 to form a wheel pocket I8 at each end of the nozzle. Disposed in each wheel pocket I8 is a substantially U-shaped wheel bracket 19 having one of its arms 00 rigidly attached by means of a nut 8| to a pin 82 rotatably mounted in the nozzle end wall I3. A wheel 83 is disposed in the wheel bracket I9 and is rotatably mounted on a pin 84 removably attached by a screw 85 to the other arm 85 of the wheel bracket I9. Exteriorly of each nozzle end wall 13 is a lever 81 rigidly attached to the pin 82 and is movable to raise or lower the wheels with respect to the nozzle body to adjust the nozzle II to different indicated positions as shown in Figure 12.

Attached to each wheel bracket 79 is a nozzle lip bracket having a portion 9| extending between the partitions TI and forms the rear nozzle lip, and extending laterally from the opposite ends of the rear nozzle lip 9| isan arm 93 which is rigidly mounted as by welding to the wheel bracket arm 85. 7 7 a A brush 94 is disposed in the nozzle II and is provided with bristles 95 on a body 96 having a pin 91 at its opposite ends which are rotatably mounted and extend through aligned openings in the lip bracket arms 93 and the wheel bracket arms 85 into each wheel pocket I8. The extreme ends of the pins 97 are provided with teeth 98 which are constantly in mesh with annularly arranged teeth 99 formed within each wheel 83. Since the lip bracket 90 and wheel brackets I9 are-welded together, movement of the lever 8'! to adjust the wheels 83 will also adjust the rear nozzle lip 9|.

In the adjusted position of the nozzle shown in Figure 7, the rear nozzle lip 9| is adjacent the rear nozzle wall I4 and forms with the front nozzle lip 88 a wide mouth for the nozzle. When the rear nozzle lip 9| is moved to the position shown in Figure 8 to raise the wheels and brush out of engagement with the surface being cleaned, the area of the nozzle mouth is reduced and the flat portion I 00 of the rear nozzle lip rides on the surface being cleaned.

In order to seal the wheel pocket I8 from the interior of the nozzle II, a triangular shaped member IN is attached to the front nozzle wall 12 by screws I02 and its lower edge I03 is in the plane of the nozzle mouth. When the nozzle is in the adjusted position shown in Figure7, the edge I04 of the lip bracket 90 abuts the inclined edge I05 of the triangular bracket IOI and its opposite edge I06 overlaps the edge I6 of the partition 11 to seal on the wheel pocket from the nozzle as shown in Figure 11, while the lower edge of the wheel bracket arm 85 lies in the plane of the nozzle mouth. When the nozzle is in the adjusted position shown in Figure 8 the upper edge of the wheel bracket arm 85 abuts the edge 76 of the partition I! and the lower edge overlaps the upper inclined edge I05 of the triangular plate IOI, While the fiat portion I00 of the rear lip 9| lies in the plane of the nozzle mouth.

In operation, assume the nozzle II is connected to the source of suction in the cleaner casing 2| and the lever 81 is in the position shown in Figure 12. I In this position the wheels 83 and bristles 95 project below the nozzle mouth and the wheels 83 maintain the nozzle lips at the optimum distance above the surface to be cleaned. Upon movement of the nozzle, the wheels 83 are rotated due to frictional contact with the surface being cleaned and cause the brush 94 to rotate whereby the bristles 95 engage the surface to loosen and remove dirt, therefrom while. the suction creating means draws the dirt from the surface through the nozzle into the filter inthe cleaner casing 2t.

When it isdesired to cleanby air only, the lever 31 is moved to the No. 1 position, indicated in Figure 12, and this causes the nozzle lips .to rest upon the surface as shown in Figure 8. Movement of the lever 81 to the No. 1 position shifts the wheel brackets 19 and lip bracket 99 as a unit and raises the wheels 83 into the wheel pockets 18 and the brush 94 upwardly in the nozzle H to position the wheels 83 and brush 94 out of engagement with the surface to be cleaned. Movement of the lip bracket 90 causes a reduction of the nozzle mouth area and the flat portion I rests on the surface being cleaned. The reduction in the nozzle mouth area causes an increase in the velocity of the air passing through the surface bein cleaned for removing the dirt therefrom.

Movement of the lip bracket Q0 and the wheel brackets 19 to the nozzle adjusted position shown in Figure 7 is limited by the lower edge I06 of the lip bracket 90 abutting the inclined edge I85 of the triangular plate I90, and in the adjusted position shown in Figure 8 is limited by the arm 85 of the wheel bracket l9 abutting the edge it of the partition 11.

I claim:

1. In a surface cleaning tool, a body having a nozzle, nozzle supporting means attached to said body, an agitator for engagement with the surface to be cleaned, lip means for said nozzle, and means connecting said lip means and agitator to said body for movement with each other relative to said nozzle to a first cleaning position to render said nozzle supporting means and agitator inoperative and said lip means supporting said nozzle on the surface to be cleaned, said lip means and agitator movable to a second cleaning position in which said lip means is positioned above said surface and above the bottom of said agitator and supported in cleanin relation to said surface by said supporting means.

2. In a surface cleaning tool, a body having a nozzle, nozzle supporting means, lip means for said nozzle, and means connecting said nozzle supporting means and said lip means to said body for movement with each other relative to said nozzle to a first cleaning position in which said lip means is below said nozzle supporting means and supports said nozzle on the surface to be cleaned, and movable to a second cleaning p0- sition in which said supporting mean engage the surface to be cleaned and position said lip means above said surface in cleaning relation thereto.

3. In a surface cleaning tool, a body having a nozzle mouth, a supporting wheel at one end of said nozzle mouth, lip means for said nozzle mouth movably mounted on said body, supporting means for said. wheel connected with said lip means for movement therewith in opposite directions with respect to said mouth to adjust the latter with respect to the surface to be cleaned, said lip means having a portion cooperating with said one end of said nozzle mouth to complete the latter and seal: said nozzle from. said wheel.

4 In a surface. cleaning tool, a body having a nozzle mouth, a supporting wheel at one end of said nozzle mouth, supportin means for said wheel movably mounted on said body to adjust said nozzle mouth to different positions with respect to the surface to be cleaned, said wheel supporting means having a portion cooperating with said one end of said nozzle mouth to complete the latter and seal it from said wheel when said nozzle mouth is in one-adjusted position, and means cooperating with said one end of said nozzle mouth to complete the latterwhen said nozzle mouth is in another adjusted position.

5. In a surface cleanin tool a body including a nozzle, lip means for said nozzle, support means on said body projecting below said lip means into engagement with the surface to be cleaned to support said lip means in one cleaning position spaced from said surface, and means mounting said lip mean on said body for movement from above the bottom of said support means into engagement with said surface to support said nozzle thereon in another cleaning position and elevate said support means above said surface to render said support means inoperable.

6. In a surface cleaning tool a body including a nozzle, lip means for said nozzle, surface agitatingmeans mounted onsaid body, support means on said body projecting below said lip means and said agitating means into engagement with the surface to be cleaned to support said lip means and agitating means in one cleaning position spaced from said surface, and means mounting said lip means on said body for movement from above the bottoms of said support means and agitating means to below the same into engagement with said surface to support said nozzle thereon in another cleanin position and elevate said support means and agitating means above said surface to render the same inoperable.

'7. In a surface cleaning tool a body including a nozzle having a mouth, lip means for said nozzle mouth, support means on said body projecting below said lip means into engagement with the surface to be cleaned to support said lip means in one cleaning position spaced from said surface, and means mounting said lip means on said body for movement relative to said nozzle mouth to alter the nozzle mouth area and position said lip means below said support means into engagement with said surface to support said nozzle thereon in another cleaning position and elevate said support means above said surface to render said support means inoperable.

8. In a surface cleaning tool a body including a nozzle having a mouth, lip means having a lip defining portion for said nozzle mouth and a surface engaging shoe, support means on said body projecting below said lip means into engagement with the surface to be cleaned to support said lip defining portion and shoe in one cleaning position spaced from said surface, and means mounting said lip means on said body for movement from above said support means to below the latter to present said shoe into engagement with said surface to support said nozzle thereon in another cleaning position and elevate said support means above said surface to render said support means inoperable.

9. In a surface cleaning tool a body including a nozzle, lip mean extendin completely around said nozzle and defining a perimeter lip for said nozzle, support means on said body projecting 7 8 below said lip means into engagement with the UNITED STATES PATENTS surface to be. cleaned to support said perimeter V lip in one cleaning position spaced from said sur- 5??? 2 R Nafime M g 91 1 face, and means pivotally mounting said lip means 1 25881 1 i g M ay 1918 on said body for movement from above said sup- 5 1392874 1 t i 1921 port mean to below the latter into engagement on 1927 with said surface to support said nozzle thereon 3 18 er T 1 1927 in another cleaning position and elevate said supg 2 i 31 port means above said surface to render said supy port means inoperab1e 10 1,311,350 rry J e 1 1,904,974 HOOVBI A131. 18, 1933 v 2,025,442 Crammer Dec. 24,-, 1935 CHARLES TRMLER" 2,100,806 Kern Nov. 30, 1937 7 2,148,125 McCardle Feb. 21, 1939 FEFERERCES CITED 2,184,401 Sellers Dec. 26, 1939 The following references are of record 1n the 15 2,235,674 Forsberg Man 18, 1941 file of this paitenti 2,278,382 Ross Mar. 31, 1942 

